A Hobbit In Narnia
by Random Guise
Summary: Bilbo Baggins, a most extraordinary Hobbit, is drawn into an adventure not of his own choosing. Takes place in the years between his return from The Battle of Five Armies and The Fellowship of the Ring. Collaborative story, with random item seeds. Ten chapters in total for my 100th story, complete. I don't own Bilbo or Aslan, but OCs are another matter.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a collaboration story, much like Humperdinck's Revenge. It uses Story Dice to generate a randomizing agent in the writing. The generated chapter items are:** **pendant, dragon bones, chandelier, question, prickly plant, noisemaker/rattle, map, book, raven, lamb.**

 **This takes place a few years after Bilbo has returned from the events in The Hobbit.**

A Hobbit in Narnia

Hobbits, as it has been said many times before, are creatures of comfort. They, for the most part, seek it out as often as possible and attempt to prolong it as long as possible. This being said, there are a few exceptions that have been noted throughout their history where a Hobbit has left behind his comforts to partake of an adventure. One family name that keeps bubbling to the surface of these adventures is Took. Boon or bane, curse or destiny, there seems to be something in the Took blood that causes the occasional member of that family to have adventures. Not the type of adventure where you can't find your other sock, or come out of your cousin's house after a particularly long birthday party and forget for a moment which way is home. No, the type of adventure that takes the individual far from the land that you know and the sorts of people that you are accustomed to seeing every day.

Bilbo Baggins, who came by this circumstance by virtue of his mother Belladonna Took, was just such an individual. In all manners he was raised to be a proper Hobbit; which is to say, he loved his home and the food and drink and everything found inside of his residence in that place known as The Hill and never so much as considered venturing farther away than a day's travel. In other words, he was considered respectable in every sense of the word.

The key word 'was' is used here with great care. Due in part to the wizard Gandalf's selection of him as a burglar in the company of Dwarves, he embarked on an adventure of epic proportions that took him far away and among folk and creatures that were definitely not of his type. This adventure has been chronicled elsewhere by a much better writer, and if the reader is unaware of it then it is strongly suggested that the tale be read at this time before continuing. Fear not, the following story won't vanish while you are gone, unlike the last piece of a particularly wonderful seed cake left unattended in a dining room in the Shire.

You're back? Welcome again. Now that we are all familiar with Mr. Bilbo Baggins and his previous adventure, we know that while he certainly was enriched by his ordeal with Smaug the dragon, both in experience and wealth, he also gained a reputation (or perhaps simply confirmed it) of being the sort that went on adventures; and as such he was looked upon as not entirely normal and generally given a wider berth than before. This suited Bilbo just fine; if it is thought that a person has only a certain capacity for the company of others, Bilbo's cup was certainly to the brim after seeing more of the world than all of the inhabitants of the Shire put together.

It was also this reputation that actually attracted others; others who sought to partake of his hospitality, not to enjoy his company so much as to enjoy his pantries, cellar and kitchen. It was a small enough price to pay, hearing the retelling of his battle of wits with Gollum if it meant that one could drink good ale and dine on fine cheese while paying the occasional compliment or emitting the odd 'Really?' at appropriate times in pretend astonishment.

In good time Bilbo grew wise of these tricks, and slowly was able to slough off the general horde that bid for his time and larder until only family was left. As he sat with his hot cup of tea and a newly lit pipe, he looked up at a small painting of his mother; resplendent in fine clothes, an ivory pendant, and a mischievous smile she looked down as if to say 'My only son, you too will have to deal with these things' as she did in her time. The Tooks had been well off for Bilbo's whole life, and their home was almost never without a guest's shoes at the door. Well, there would have been shoes if Hobbits wore any; at least one could find the occasional walking stick or cart outside.

Bilbo was shaken out of his reverie by a beating on his front door.

"Bilbo?!"

He was just able to hide out of view when Sandy Brandybuck stuck her face in his front window, calling for him. A relation through his uncle, she was the most insistent of his relatives when it came to visiting and partaking of his hospitality. Bilbo imagined she also was taking inventory of anything new he had acquired since her last visit. Although he was only sixty, he was sure various family members were counting the days until he either died or named an heir. When her face disappeared he quickly got up and retreated into a back bedroom, abandoning his tea and pipe. If he could just be still she would leave…

As he shrunk back and tried not to breathe, he knocked over an empty mug sitting on a small table. It clattered to the floor and he cursed himself silently; he never left such things out.

"Bilbo, are you there?"

It sounded like she was in the entryway inside his home; how could she have gotten past the locks?

"Are you in the kitchen?"

He raced out of the room and farther down the hall to his cellar. Maybe this far back…

"Bilbo, are you asleep?"

Now she was in the bedroom! Confound the woman; couldn't she just leave him in peace? He ducked out of the cellar and to the last door at the end of the hall. It led to an unfinished room, still being dug out of the hill. The coolest place in his home, he had retreated there once or twice during the hottest part of the summer. He closed the door quietly just after picking up a lantern. He lit the lantern, intending to hood the light to its minimum so that he could just barely see around. But the light flared and a vision of a huge cat appeared on one of the rough walls as a deafening roar filled the air. Bilbo stumbled backward and fell, putting out the light from his lantern. In the dark he crept along on the floor until he found a door. Oddly enough it didn't feel like his door, but in the dark a door is a door and he drew himself up and slowly opened it to peek out.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The reason why Bilbo knew it wasn't his door was obvious from the very design of the thing. Without fail, all of the doors in his home were round with the knob in the center. Most Hobbit doors were made in a similar way, and have been for untold time. The reader might find interesting a certain tale I've heard about how they might possibly have first came to be round; I shall need to be reminded at another time to relay that little story, regardless of whether or not it has any basis in fact. But we digress from our story; the point was the door that stood in front of Bilbo was decidedly not round, but more of a shape to which we are accustomed and with a knob to one side. Regardless of the design, Bilbo grabbed the knob and pulled the door ajar to peek out to the other side.

A dimly lit passageway greeted his eyes. He held his breath and strained to hear anything, but it was silent except for a dripping of water somewhere. He slipped through the door after looking both directions, and drew himself up to his full height. Along the walls the passage was lit every so often with a glowing crystal; not enough light to find a coin you may have dropped on the ground, but enough to keep from bumping into your family and friends should you be walking. Bilbo didn't want to bump into anyone, and was thankful for being alone for the moment. It gave him time to try and determine where he was. He reached behind him and felt the door handle, and was startled that it wasn't smooth at all but was in the shape of some animal. The door was also locked now and he couldn't find a way to open it again.

A normal Hobbit would have been in a state of panic at this juncture, being far from home and hearth. But Bilbo had been down this road before, albeit the fact he wasn't on a road at the moment. But even though he would have been the first to loudly proclaim that he'd had enough with adventuring, the actual truth was that there was an ember deep inside of him that sparked into flame at the thought of being elsewhere.

It was this spark that caused him, without conscience thought, to feel for his ring and his sword Sting. He regretted that no Sting was by his side; no doubt it was still safe on display above his fireplace at home. But he was reassured by the small lump he could feel in his special vest pocket. He still had his ring, and its mere presence gave him additional confidence that he had an escape route should things become to dangerous or simply undesirable.

As we are all caught up on his previous adventure, we know that Bilbo had a very special ring that caused him to disappear when he wore it. There was much more to the ring than that, but few alive at the time knew of its existence at all and even fewer knew just what it was. Even Bilbo sensed that there was more to the ring, and despite the temptation he seldom wore it, preferring rather to just keep it on his person. While you might think it would be great fun to have a ring that made you invisible, if it made you uncomfortable by the way it turned the rest of the world into shadows while you wore it then you would be hesitant too. Somehow, there was a small voice inside Bilbo that said he needed to stay out of that land of shadows and he usually obeyed it.

Unable to go back through the door he had just used, Bilbo kept to one side in the shadows as much as he could as he made his way down the passage while he listened carefully, using a Hobbit's natural ability to walk quietly. He tried another door as he passed and found it locked too. The light was a little brighter here, and he could see that the animal design on the knob was that of another large cat. There were no other doors to be found along the rough passage, which zig-zagged slightly until it disappeared around a bend to the left further ahead. Bilbo crept around the corner and saw that the passage widened. There was something in the middle of the floor, a pile of some sorts. Bilbo got closer, and stopped at the end of the pile that stretched down the passage for dozens of feet. He reached down and felt part of the pile; whatever the objects were, they were hard. He picked up one of the smaller object while his sensitive fingers felt along one of the edges of the object that had been on the ground, and he absentmindedly traced a jagged pattern with sharp points all in a row. Deep down his brain began to form an idea.

Just like a saw, he thought to himself. Or perhaps some extraordinary teeth.

Large teeth.

 _Very_ large teeth.

"DRAGON TEETH!" his mind screamed as he backed away. Not Smaug; he was dead, Bilbo thought quickly as he tripped and fell backward. Stumbling back up, he continued to back away in fear. Maybe Smaug had family. Maybe, somehow, he was in Misty Mountain again and there were other dragons here. Dragon brothers, dragon sisters and dragon cousins all wanting to even the score with a certain Hobbit. "Confound Gandalf, what has he done to me?" Bilbo muttered as he backed up against the wall of the passageway's bend. He felt another of the strange door handles behind him on a door that he must have missed before, and reached for it without taking his eyes off where the pile of bones lay. His fingers found the latch and he opened the door and slipped through.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Bilbo slipped through the door and heard it click behind him. "Does every door here lock behind you?" he thought to himself as he turned around. It was a good thing he was standing in shadow, because the site before him was even more scary than a pile of dragon bones.

"...and it is our duty to provide support for the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve" the speaker was saying. He was flanked by two torch bearers, and all three were dwarfs. They in turn stood on a raised stage before an untold number of dwarfs that made up an audience that sat on roughly hewn benches. Closer examination showed that the torches were not flames, but huge stones that gave off light much like their smaller cousins out in the passage. Bilbo stood directly behind the speaker, and was saved from detection by the glare of the stones and his position in the shadows.

"Igny, the dwarfs should be for the dwarfs!" a voice called from the audience. Murmurs came from the others, but no unified position was evident.

"Gorstern, I hear what you're saying" the speaker who was obviously named Igny continued. "And it's true, for the most part we've lived our lives and they've lived theirs. But Narnia is the home to all of us, both above and below ground. It's also true that there is little chance of the giants coming down here; but they have smaller allies that would certainly want to help themselves to all that we have. Narnia wasn't saved from the hundred-year winter just to be handed over to the White Witch's successors. We must protect it as our own, for it _is_ our own. A dwarf can't stay underground all his life."

"He can sure try!" someone shouted, followed by appreciative laughter.

"What do we do, fight them with pick axes and shovels?" someone else called. "We're not an army!"

"No, we're best as diggers and crafters, 'tis true. But the race doesn't always go to the swiftest, and the battle not always to the...battleyest."

"Making up words won't help against the giants" Gorstern countered.

"No, but we don't know our part in what is to come. We must send a volunteer to act as envoy and voice of the dwarfs to the high king and give notice of our support. Who shall it be?"

"You do it!" Gorstern yelled.

"As leader, my place is here" he replied. "It must be someone else. Who else?"

No one spoke aloud, although the murmurs continued. When backed into a corner a dwarf would fight with all his might, but these didn't feel like they were in that situation yet.

"Use the Chandelier of Choosing" a weak voice called from one side. An older dwarf with white hair spoke.

"Nortin speaks well" Igny observed. "If you cannot make a choice, then let the choice be made for you." He stepped off the platform and walked toward the center of the room, where he lifted his hands. A light fixture in the ceiling began to glow more brightly with a soft blueish white. "Aslan the great, in this time of need the Narnian dwarfs needs a brave soul to carry the will and word of our people. Show us that person."

The chandelier glowed brighter still and pulsed as lights danced around the rough ceiling. The pulsing stopped and a beam of light shot out across the room, over the platform and lit a certain Hobbit who had been transfixed by the proceedings while hiding in the shadows. The crowd of Dwarfs let out a collective gasp.

"What's that?"

"No dwarf like I've ever seen..."

"More like a child!"

"And a sick one at that.."

"Child nothing!" Bilbo cried out, stepping forward and forgetting his fear momentarily. He waved his hand while holding the forgotten bone to emphasize the point. "I'm sixty years old, perfectly healthy and certainly no Dwarf." Remembering himself, he lowered the bone and stood silent.

"Maybe he's some deformed Son of Adam" Nortin suggested. "Or an overgrown gnome."

"Deformed?!" Bilbo exclaimed, getting his ire up again.

"Peace, visitor" Igny said as he walked towards Bilbo on the platform. "No slight was intended; you don't look like anyone we've seen before. But if Aslan sent you then I'm sure you are worthy."

"Who's Aslan?"

The resulting clamor was so great Igny ordered all but the ruling counsel to leave the room; the rest of the audience was debating what type of person didn't know who Aslan was as they left. The great noise fell as they returned to whatever halls and rooms they had come from, until the room was returned to quiet.

Igny addressed Bilbo again. "Sir, you are no Dwarf and it seems to me you are no Man. Come down and join us in the front." Igny, along with Gorstern and Nortin and another Dwarf sat on the front bench. Bilbo found the steps and climbed down to stand in front of the four. "Please sir, tell us your name so that we might address you properly and with due respect." For as the reader knows, a name can be a powerful thing; although it is not really _who_ we are, most become so attached to one that the name and self are almost indistinguishable.

"Bilbo Baggins, sirs."

"Two names? You must be an important person indeed. Allow me to introduce the Council; I am Igneous of the clan Topaz although everyone calls me Igny, this is Gorstern of the clan Onyx, Nortin of the clan Opal, and Walt from the clan Alabaster."

Walt stood and gently removed the bone from Bilbo's hand. "I'll take that, if you don't mind. I really do intend on putting that skeleton together one of these days."

"Skeleton? The dragon?" Bilbo asked.

"Yes, of course" Walt explained. We discovered the bones while digging one day and cleaned them up before putting them in a display area. I hope to find a way to put them on a frame one day to recreate the creature. Dragons must have been incredible creatures; it's a pity they haven't been seen in ages, I have no live models to base my work on and have to work off the imagination of random guys."

"Long ago? I encountered one about nine years ago under Misty Mountain. You must have heard of Smaug."

"Smog? Under a misty mountain? Can't say I've heard of either of those. It must far from Narnia" Igny surmised.

"Where's Narnia? I've never heard of it myself, though in truth I'm not as well traveled as some."

"You've never heard of Narnia either? How can that be?" Gorstern asked with his brow knitted.

"It's possible" answered Nortin with a nod. "I don't know of misty smogs and such, but I do know Aslan draws his people from elsewhere as needed. High King Peter and his brother and sisters came from another place far from Narnia, and perhaps this one has as well."

"I don't suppose you've heard of Mount Pharma either?" Bilbo asked.

"No" they responded with blank faces.

"That's okay, I'm scarcely sure I've even been there either" Bilbo shrugged. This of course had to do with seven dwarfs he met while lost after encountering Gollum. He had almost convinced himself it never happened, but here was yet another type of dwarf that he hadn't met before. They seemed very much like the type he had adventured with, although these seemed somewhat shorter and less...militant. That suited Bilbo just fine. And he hadn't heard a single song from any of these, which also was not like his previous encounters.

"The important thing" Igny continued, "is that you are here now and that Aslan has chosen you to send to King Peter. But you cannot go alone for you need a guide. That still brings us to the problem of selecting a dwarf to accompany you on your travel. No one volunteered before, and I seriously doubt we'll find someone now. Who will we send?"

The door at the rear of the room through which everyone had exited closed with a dull thud. In front of it stood a dwarf of somewhat smaller size than those in the counsel. "Here I am. Send me."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 04

"Issa?" Igny asked. "Why do you volunteer now, when you could have spoken during the meeting?"

"I wasn't at the meeting" she replied as she walked to the front where the others were. "I've only now returned; I managed to catch most of what happened from the talk of the others as we passed."

Gorstern snorted. "A female as an envoy? Unheard of."

"But she volunteers" Nortin noted, "and that was what was asked of a dwarf. Surely you don't deny her the right?"

Bilbo followed the conversation as he looked at Issa. Of course there must have been women dwarfs, but he had never seen one before. She was still half a head taller than he was, and a bit stouter, but even so she was the closest thing to his size he had seen of any dwarf.

"...and as a member of the clan Amethyst I see no reason why I can't; as a matter of fact no one knows the land above better than I." And it was a truth, that Issa was one of those dwarfs who seemed almost as much at home above ground as below it. "Do I have a challenge?"

No one present wanted to challenge for the right to go on the trip; most had already refused simply by their silence earlier when the request for a volunteer was made. Even Gorstern remained silent; it was rare that he wasn't grumbling or complaining about something.

The reader will note at this point that dwarfs, even with their differences to men, were very much the same as a whole. Some were outgoing, others timid; while some did nothing but complain, others were cheery and supportive. The same applies to all folk and even among the orcs there are said to be differences, although this writer has absolutely no inclination to investigate the matter.

"So be it, Issa. The Council hereby appoints you as envoy of our community, charged with the task of escorting Bilbo Baggins to High King Peter, there to follow whatever directions he may set upon you. Go with speed and safety and leave when you are prepared." Igny handed Issa a token that was her identification; etched in the stone on one side was the symbol of the council, while the other side had the unmistakable image of a lion.

...

Much later Bilbo and Issa were making their way through a twisting tunnel away from the main living areas of the dwarfs after stocking up on a few things. Bilbo had taken the opportunity to eat, something he hadn't done in far too long. His stomach satisfied for the time being, he was ready for whatever came.

"So you don't come from Narnia?" Issa asked. This stranger didn't dress like a dwarf; in fact his clothes didn't look as though they were meant to work in at all.

"I...don't think so" Bilbo replied. "I'm from a place called The Shire, in Hobbiton. I'm a Hobbit, that's how it got it's name you know. I've never heard that Narnia name before, so I don't think I come from there."

"Do they even have dwarfs where you come from? Men? Animals?"

"All those things, yes; although it's only Hobbits and animals in the area where I live. But I've...gone on a trip with dwarfs before, and I've encountered Men. Elves too, a dragon, and trolls. Quite a lot of different things, come to think of it. Most of my kind prefer to stay at home and not leave our village unless it's to travel to one that is very near. I was at home under the hill when I somehow managed to end up here."

"You live under a hill? Below ground? I knew there was something I liked about you" she smiled.

"My home is below ground, but I spend most of my time above. What about you?" he asked.

"Almost the opposite" Issa answered as she gestured to the tunnel with it's reinforcing and light crystals. "We live and work below ground. But I'm considered kind of odd because I like to go above ground when I get the chance; I've gone on walks around the top. I don't know why, but I like the change sometimes."

"I know; seeing the same thing every day for years just puts your spirit to sleep I think. If I stay in my home too much I start to feel like a mole."

"I know some moles, and they're very nice and hard workers too" Issa commented.

Bilbo was just about to ask her what she meant when they had to climb a tall ladder. When both were at the top she asked "I have a question: just how did you meet these dragons and things?"

Sidetracked, he began telling her about his adventure with Thorin and his band. He didn't intend to say a great deal about it, but I'm sure the reader knows that once a hobbit starts talking about himself he's on his favorite subject and has a hard time stopping. Bilbo described his companions on the trip, their encounters with elves (which he had to describe) and men, and of course the dragon Smaug. He even mentioned his riddle game with Gollum, hoping to impress Issa with his cleverness. He didn't tell her about his ring and what magic it could do, however, and skipped on to his encounter with the dwarfs that mined the mountain for medicines. This writer has chronicled that adventure elsewhere, and if the reader has not heard it then it is no small wonder considering Mr. Baggin's reluctance to repeat it to others.

So much time passed in the telling of his life that they drew up to a heavy door. Actually, all doors here seemed heavy to Bilbo but this one seemed...rougher. Once again, the handle was designed in the shape of an animal.

"That's the door that leads to the above" Issa said as she noticed Bilbo staring at it. "We go through there next, but it's been a long day and we best rest here for the night."

"Night? How can you tell when there's no sun?" asked Bilbo, who realized that he did feel tired after all.

"The small space along the bottom lets in light when it's daytime; there's no light, so it's dark. Don't worry, this door is almost never used. Unpack your bedroll and we'll sleep here." Besides some food and drink, their packs contained a bedroll and a few other supplies. No lantern was needed because of the light crystals in the wall, but they carried one along with a length of rope; the stairs and ladders they had encountered so far on their journey had kept the rope safely packed away.

Both spread out their bedding to one side and laid down.

"So what do you do now?" Issa asked of her company.

Bilbo yawned. "I am retired. I spend my days in quiet comfort, dodging family, with only the occasional visit from someone to disturb me. I am thinking of writing a book about my adventure, but haven't started it yet."

"That would be grand; I'm sure others would be interesting in reading it" Issa said. "Maybe I'll be able to tell people about our adventure if anything exciting happens."

"Maybe" Bilbo said as he rolled over. "Goodnight Issa."

By the light coming from under the door it must have been the next day when Bilbo awoke, startled out of a dream about dragons. Issa was already awake; they quickly ate, packed up their few belongings and made ready.

Issa stepped to the door and slid back a bolt before turning the handle and opening it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Welcome to Narnia" she said as she stepped out into the open air. The door lay in the side of a hill, with a gentle slope below leading to flat land. Marshes lay off in the far distance to one side; nearby a growth of trees almost reached the door.

"I thought I was already in Narnia" Bilbo said, trying to grasp where he was now.

"You were...more or less. The Underlands where we were are part of Narnia, but below it. There's even a land below that called Bism, but my people mostly stay away from there. But this is the Narnia that everyone talks about" she said as she spread her arms.

"I see. It looks a lot more like what I'm used to, that's for sure."

"Let me close the door and we'll be on our way." She did just that, and headed toward the trees. "I like to walk out here sometimes, but I feel more comfortable under the trees. Too much open space above my head you know."

Bilbo didn't know, but followed her anyway. Today the reader has no doubt heard a great deal of scientific talk about various fears, including that of closed spaces and heights. But Bilbo had no such knowledge, and the idea that someone would be uncomfortable or even afraid in open spaces would never occur to him. But if your people lived almost all their lives underground as the dwarfs did then you would find such a fear much more common.

Under the trees Issa breathed more freely. "That's better. I know it's perfectly safe out there, but I prefer something over my head if I can."

"Have you tried a hat?" Bilbo asked.

Issa stared at him and then laughed deeply, with Bilbo joining in when his joke had the desired effect. Dwarfs, like most other folk, are much more agreeable to keep company with when they have a sense of humor and Bilbo was glad Issa was no exception. Bilbo was still chuckling a bit when he froze and his blood ran cold.

He grabbed Issa's hand and started to pull her through the trees. "Run! A terrible beast!" She almost tripped as she hurried to keep up. This hobbit was no slouch when it came to running. They dodged through trees as he yelled "Don't look behind you!"

The bear, who was walking up to talk to the pair, heard the cry of "terrible beast" and run after them in fear for his life too. This only served to drive Bilbo faster as all three raced through the trees.

Hobbits have very large feet, and the soles of those feet are as tough as leather. Bilbo was sure-footed as he jumped over roots and nimble as he detoured around various trunks; his short stature made it easier to duck under low branches. But even his sure feet weren't prepared when they ran onto a slope that was covered with fallen leaves. The slick surface caused Bilbo to slide and fall, taking Issa with him. They both tumbled down the hill.

The bear, with its far greater weight, was unable to stop and slipped down the slope too, even passing the two on his way to the bottom of the hill. As he lay there, the other two slid into his side with an "Oomph."

The bear looked around and up the hill, then at the two resting against him. "We outran whatever beast was after us. So, care to share in the joke you were laughing about?" he asked.

Bilbo nearly fainted as the question came from the bear.

Issa smiled again as she turned. "Just a private joke, unless you've taken to wearing hats lately."

"Can't keep 'em on my head" the bear said as he got to his feet and pulled some type of prickly plant from his back. "That smarts." Bilbo was frozen to the spot, transfixed by the large creature as its muscles flowed under the brown coat while it moved. "Hello again Issa. Who's your friend?"

"May I introduce Bilbo Baggins, a creature known as a Hobbit. Bilbo, this is Statelymane. He lives here in these woods."

"Um..." Bilbo started and stopped.

"Pleased to meet you Bilbo Baggins, call me Stately please" the bear responded.

"Err..." Bilbo added.

"What?" asked Issa.

"He's...ah...talking."

"Of course I am; it would be rude not to talk to a friend when you see her. How are things down under, Issa?"

"Just about the same as they normally are down there. Bilbo and I are on our way to see High King Peter, aren't we Bilbo?"

"Hmm..." Bilbo offered.

"Your friend doesn't talk much, does he? Not a bad thing, really; now take my friend Spring, there's a wolf that will talk your ears off if you give him the chance."

"Stately..." Issa started.

"He just goes on and on about nothing" Stately continued. "How his day was, for the third time mind you, how the pups..."

"Stately..." Issa tried again.

"...and just what his wife wants to do with the den..."

"STATELY!" Issa yelled.

"...oh sorry, got carried away." He stopped and sucked on his paw to stop talking.

"It's okay, I just had a question I wanted to ask you. Are there any giants about?"

"I haven't seen any around here; I think they're waiting for something. They all went to camp around the giant village after King Peter met with their leader two days ago; his camp is a few hours walk from the giants, about half way between here and there. King Edmund and Queens Susan and Lucy aren't with him, so I guess they're back at Cair Paravel. The Narnia camp is a few hours away, like I said."

"Wait...a...minute. You're talking to an animal like it's perfectly normal!" Bilbo exclaimed.

"Of course it's normal" Issa said. "Can't bears talk where you come from?"

"No. Never. Animals don't talk at all. It isn't...I mean...it just _isn't_ done!"

"All animals talk here. Well, the ones that aren't wild that is. Or the fish or insects either. Weren't you listening when I mentioned my friend the mole?"

"You never said it talked. So, animals talk then." Bilbo thought for a moment. "What else talks? Will the clouds sing to me today?"

"What peculiar ideas you have, Bilbo. Clouds singing...I mean, _really_? Don't be absurd" Issa chastised him.

"Good, at least you've got some standards. If everything talked I'd think the noise from the conversations would be unbearable."

"Hey!" Stately said, hurt.

"Sorry," Bilbo quickly amended "I should have said difficult to deal with. I meant no slur against bears, sir."

"That's okay, you're probably still in shock. Like when my cousin became a father to cub triplets..."

"Stately..." Issa warned.

"...sorry."

"I'd love to stay here and catch up, but we have to see King Peter. Will you take us to his camp?" Issa asked.

"A chance to see King Peter? Try holding me back! But what about that terrible beast that was chasing us?"

"Umm..." Bilbo bashfully admitted "...that was you I was talking about. I didn't know you were friendly."

"And forgiving too" Stately added. "Don't worry yourself. Now my brother is the one with the nasty temper. One time..." and thus the two were entertained by Stately for the remainder of the trip. One wonders if the story might have gone on longer if not for the fact they reached the Narnian camp when they did.

They met a sentry at the perimeter and Issa showed him the token given her by Igny. He took the token and trotted over to the largest tent and disappeared inside. He reappeared a moment later and returned to the trio.

"King Peter greets his guests and asks for their audience at their earliest convenience" he said, returning the token.

"I think it best we see him at once" Issa decided. "Better too soon than too late."

"Very good. Please find the king inside the large tent I just returned from; he should be expecting you."

The trio approached the tent and stood before the large flap that served as a door. There was no place to knock for attention.

"Aren't there any proper doors in this place?" asked Bilbo.

"These are easier to move about when you're on the go" Issa commented. "Best we announce ourselves, then. King Peter?"

"Enter" a voice called from inside.

They pushed the door flap aside and entered the tent.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Just inside, Issa and Bilbo paused to let their eyes adjust; Stately shoved them further in so that he could squeeze through the entrance. As the details of the room resolved itself, Bilbo looked about at the furnishings. Not very opulent, it still had the basics that one would need while away from home. As his eyes swept past the desk and storage chests, they fell on a huge tapestry hanging by another doorway into an inner room. With a start he recognized it as the same vision that he had seen on the wall of his own room. He recoiled and bumped against Stately.

"Careful there" Stately said. "Not much room in here."

"Plenty for us smaller folk" Issa smiled as she poked Stately in the stomach. She turned to a faun that was standing beside them. "Issa of the Blue Mountain Dwarfs, Statelymane of the woods and Bilbo Baggins of the Shire to see King Peter" she told him.

The faun grabbed a rattle hanging from the tent wall and shook it. "Announcing Issa of the Blue Mountain Dwarfs, Statelymane of the woods and Bill Bobaggins of the Shire to see High King Peter of Narnia."

"That's _Bilbo Baggins_ " Bilbo repeated, enunciating his name carefully.

"Correction: Announcing Issa of the Blue Mountain Dwarfs, Statelymane..."

"That's enough Taos" a young man said as he emerged from the back room. "I managed to get it the first time, although I don't know what a Shire is."

Issa knelt on one knee while Stately managed to do so on both of his front legs. Bilbo, lost for the moment, simply bowed deeply. "Your Majesty" the two Narnians said together.

"Rise, please. We're all Narnians in here." Issa stepped forward and handed her token to Peter.

"All hail Aslan" Peter said after looking it over. He handed it back to Issa.

"I've never heard of Narnia or Aslan, so I think I come from a world far from Narnia" Bilbo said as he asked to see the token to examine it more closely. The engraving of Aslan was unmistakable as the same type of creature that was on the tapestry. "Is this an Aslan?" he asked. He still hadn't quite got a handle on talking animals, and didn't know what to make of the faun. This creature they spoke of seemed to have even more hair than Stately.

"Not _an_ Aslan, but _the_ Aslan. He's a lion, which is a very large cat, and a very special one at that. He created this world" Peter explained. "Even if you're not from this world, you're an honorary Narnian if you're helping us."

"An animal created this world? I suppose he talks too" Bilbo surmised.

"Oh yes," Peter said "but you should hear his roar. He brought my brother and sisters here years ago to help Narnia in a fight against evil."

"That was the White Witch" Issa interjected for Bilbo's sake.

"Rightly said" Peter continued. "Now Narnia is our home. We've been at peace for some time, but lately the giants from the north are increasingly raiding the nearby settlements. Few can stand against them, so I've come north to push them back. Individually they're no match against us, and even as a group I think we'd prevail in an out-and-out confrontation; the casualties would be high though, and there's no guarantee they wouldn't come back again after they've rebuilt their numbers. They're incredibly strong, but not particularly bright."

"Excuse me," said Bilbo "pardon the interruption. If Aslan made this world, he must be very powerful. Why doesn't he just defeat the giants and be done with it?"

Taos giggled. "As if you could just order him to defeat the giants. It's not as if he's a tame lion."

"That would be super," Peter explained to Bilbo "but Aslan rarely engages in battle himself. He's never out-and-out said it, but I think he feels that we should fight for what is ours as part of our right to be here; if we can't defend it, maybe we shouldn't keep it. But he does lend a helping hand on occasion, so he must think you can be of great help. What is your profession?"

"I'm...um...retired, your Majesty."

"If you're retired, what was the last job you did before you retired then?"

Bilbo hemmed a bit, then admitted "I was a burglar."

"A thief?" Peter asked incredulously.

"Only in a strict sense of the word" Issa covered quickly. "He helped some dwarfs regain their home and belongings taken by a dragon." When Bilbo had explained his adventure, she felt an immediate kinship to these dwarfs she had never met; she too would have fought tooth and nail to reclaim what was rightfully hers.

"So let us say you helped reclaim stolen property then" Peter said. "There is nobility in that and such skills can be a great asset."

"Thank you" Bilbo said, starting to be a little more at ease.

"Then perhaps those skills are what we are in need of here, for there is a recent development that bodes ill I fear. As I told you, the giants aren't very smart; I think after the White Witch left them on their own they've become rather disorganized. Until about a month ago, that is. Someone new has come into the picture and seems to be working with them."

"Who?" Issa asked.

"I don't know. We were in a skirmish with a couple of giants when a beam of blinding light came from behind them. It missed most of us, but one of my centaurs walked into it and got burned on the arm pretty badly. It happened again the next day, and it killed one of our archers" lamented Peter.

"Is it an animal?" Stately demanded to know.

"No. A few days later I met with the giants to parley. They refused to stop the raids, and seemed very confident. They had the stranger with him. He was about as tall as I am, much thinner and agile looking, and he had pointed ears. He carried a bow and dressed in light armor and didn't speak to me, although several times the leader of the giants would consult with him before speaking to me. He had a smile that spoke of evil and confidence."

"Sounds like an elf" Bilbo said "except for the evil part." Peter looked at Bilbo questionably. "You don't have Elves here? We have them in my world; they're usually agreeable people even though they tend to keep to their own kind."

"I can't see how Aslan would send someone evil here, it goes against everything I've learned about him; but the giants' intent is certainly not peaceful and I have to believe that the arrival of this 'elf' is tied in with the light weapon we encountered. Do you think you could use your skills and sneak into their village to get some more information, Bilbo?" Peter requested.

Just then a centaur entered the tent. Taos started to announce him when Peter shushed him with a "I'm right here, Taos, I see him. Captain Calho, what is it?"

The captain looked at the others in the tent and then addressed Peter. "Sire, the troops await your inspection."

"Certainly, Captain. Sorry my guests, but it's a function I must perform. Issa, Stately, Bilbo, you can stay here and rest if you wish; feel free to partake of my food. It's getting late and it may be a while before I return." He hurried out of the tent after the centaur.

"Well," said Bilbo, casting his eyes in the direction of the chests filled with provisions "I don't see how I could possibly follow the King's orders and rest without a little sustenance. A hobbit never rests on an empty stomach; in truth we rarely do anything in such a condition, including eating." Laughing, he made his way toward the chests.

Issa laughed too. "I think no greater truth has been spoken of a hobbit from what I've seen" she said as she joined him. "Stately, care to try anything?"

"No thanks, I'll forage something in the woods. Take care of yourselves" he said as he squeezed back out of the tent flap before it closed behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Anyone who knows much about hobbits knows that they are very thorough when it comes to eating. It should come as no surprise that Bilbo quickly inventoried the food stores and managed to just slightly overload his plate with various offerings and commenced to try them.

"I don't know what some of the dishes are, but most are delicious" he said as he mopped up a bit of juice with a bread roll.

Issa was no slouch in the eating department either, but her plate paled in comparison. "It _is_ good, isn't it; I suppose it's one of the advantages of being king. We don't have nearly the selection back home."

"Tell me about your home" Bilbo asked. "I only got to see a little bit of it."

"Well, despite what it looked like we don't just live in tunnels. Besides the natural caves that we've turned into wonderful halls and even a swimming area, we dig out the space we need from the mountains themselves. I live in my little rooms that were my parents' before me."

"So do I!" Bilbo agreed.

"There are dwarfs in many places where one finds minerals under the ground, but I've only been on a short visit to other places when I was young so Blue Mountain is what I know best. We've got quite a few family lines that understandably mix and branch through the years until it seems as though you can trace yourself to almost anyone else if you take the time."

"I know the feeling; the Shire is the same way. 'Uncle' this and mostly 'cousin' that; I daresay the family tree of the area would look more like a twisted thornbush."

"We focus more on the group than the immediate family; that's why we have clans. When the first groups first settled in, they drew lots and set off to mine various areas of the mountain. They took their names from the first gem they encountered in their digging. My Great found an amethyst and that's the name we ended up with. Over time the separate areas became joined centrally underground until we got the maze that we have today. Here, let me show you one of my maps." Issa rummaged around in her pack and withdrew a few pieces of parchment and selected one.

"I like maps a great deal" Bilbo said. "I use them mostly for remembering where I've been."

"They're even better if you have them to show you where you're going" Issa grinned. "We're given one when we're young to memorize so we don't get lost. Not so much because of the danger of not being found, but the clans prefer not to have others in their private areas. See, here's where I live." She pointed to a box scribbled on one section of the map. "It's not perfect because it can't show all the directions."

"All the directions? What do you mean?"

"A normal map shows north, south, east and west. But underground you also have up and down to worry about. Especially if you're going to the lower levels."

"You mean that Bism place you mentioned?"

"That's part of it. Underland is, well, under the land of Narnia. We live on top, just under the outside. Underland goes deeper and deeper, and below that is Bism where the gnomes live."

"They called me a gnome!" Bilbo said.

"Only because they hadn't seen a hobbit before. But don't call them a gnome to their face; they prefer Earthmen although I suppose it should be Earthpeople since there are women gnomes too."

"So the gnomes come up to your area?"

"Normally no. I went down there for my initiation and saw them before I returned. It's too hot for me, and it doesn't smell right either." Issa scrunched her nose at the memory.

"Initiation? Like a test?"

"More like a ritual. When we become an adult many of us take a trip to Bism to mark the occasion. The new adult is given a small empty vial before descending into the lower regions for our initiation. The goal is to find the proper gem and squeeze out enough juice to fill the vial without being caught or overcome by the heat and fumes." She pulled on a necklace and a small vial revealed itself hanging from the front.

"Juice from a gemstone? Oh Issa, now you're having me on for sure" Bilbo laughed.

"No, it's real. Down there are gems that juice can be extracted from if you know which ones to find. It's a little bit like the small bottle Queen Lucy has that will cure almost all illness or injury with one drop; this isn't that powerful, but the entire contents are enough to bring one dwarf back from death if you don't wait too long. We call it our second chance, and the dwarfs keep the existence of the vials to themselves. You are the only non-dwarf I know of that knows the secret now."

Bilbo was taken aback. "Then...I am honored to be in your confidence" he said with all sincerity.

"Good, you seem like a good person and I'd hate to kill you" she said with a grin.

"You seem like a good person, I'd hate to die" Bilbo responded in kind. "Does everyone come back with a full vial?"

"Everyone except Old Yarna. He had one but he dropped it cliimbing back up to our levels again. We kid him sometimes, but it's a good lesson in being careful. You can spend your whole life in the mines and still...have an accident if you're careless."

"I can't imagine spending my whole life underground. I need to see the sky; I don't really have to go outside sometimes, I can just look through my windows" Bilbo reminisced.

"You can see the sky and be under the ground at the same time?" Issa asked, astonished. "I never thought about that before. Sometimes I feel like the whole weight of the mountain is on me, but I feel too vulnerable if I'm in the open too much. Your house sounds like the best of both worlds, Bilbo."

"Perhaps it is" he said. "I never really thought about it, but it _is_ very nice. I guess I have to be away from home long enough that I start to really appreciate it. But perhaps we are kindred spirits; when I've been at home for some time I yearn to go adventure to mountains, but when I've been on and under them I start to want to be back home again. Perhaps neither of us has truly found our place yet; that's an exciting thought, isn't it?"

"Why yes" Issa agreed "I do suppose it is. Say, I think I hear footsteps; someone must be coming."

Bilbo had been oblivious to the sounds outside, being wrapped up in eating and talking with Issa. He only just noticed the steps before the flap opened and Peter returned.

"My apologies," the king offered "that took a little longer than I anticipated. Excuse me" he added as he opened a basket and pulled out a hard roll, along with an apple. He sat down in front of his guests as he began to eat from both items. "I got some more information from one of our fliers. The source of those light beams seems to be coming from the roof of one of the houses in the giants' village. The building's top it flat, and there is a arrangement of various colored stones, a platform and a few other things. Someone was working up there, and it looked like he was testing a few of the beams. It doesn't sound good; I think the giants are stalling until this new weapon is perfected and then we are in great trouble."

"I don't know anything about weapons, sire" Bilbo offered "but you have my skills at your disposal. Perhaps I can get close and learn some vital bit that can turn the tide; everyone and everything has a weakness, even something as fearsome as a dragon."

"And there is no one around with more knowledge of gems and stones than me" Issa chimed in. "If they are the key to this light weapon, I might be able to find that weakness."

"Very good, I see Aslan has chosen well. I only ask that you proceed quickly, for I fear time is of the essence. Rest tonight, and start out early tomorrow. Take comfort here, and leave when you are ready in the morning. I thank you now, and pray I shall be able to thank you again after." Peter stood and bowed to his guests and left the room for his private chamber beyond, closing the flap behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

When dawn arrived, it did not find Bilbo and Issa in the tent. Issa was unused to a day based on the sun's travel (for underground they had to rely on other means to keep time) and Bilbo was too worried to be able to rest, so they both set off early.

"So you've met dwarfs who sing?" Issa asked Bilbo as they walked through the grass on the way to the giants.

"Sure. In fact, I think your group of dwarfs is the only one I haven't heard singing on my journeys."

"What do they sing about? Songs about rocks must get pretty boring. 'They're heavy, they're hard, they hurt when you drop them on your foot', that sort of thing I imagine."

"Oh, the songs are more interesting than that. Sure, they mention mines, but as homes too, not just workplaces. They echo of love for their lives, the people and treasures they have and their hopes for the future not to mention great heroes from the past. Some are very serious, others are more lighthearted." Bilbo had heard many songs sung by dwarfs. They sang in his home, they sang as they walked, they even sang as they ate. And, although he had only encountered them for a short time, he couldn't help but hear the songs of the seven dwarfs who mined medicine.

"Sing one to me!"

Bilbo blushed. "I'm afraid I don't remember them that well, I only heard them a bit on my travels. It's not like the songs that I grew up with."

"I want to hear music; sing me one of those then. You don't have to sing well; don't worry if it's not good enough for anyone else to hear, just sing a song" Issa pleaded.

"Well...a short one perhaps." And Bilbo sang a song to Issa he had learned as a child, one that spoke of rich foods and good company and warm fires in the hearth. After that they walked on, both lost in the images that played in their heads of what a proper home should be like. Sometime later they drew to a stop atop a little mound.

"King Peter gave us this map of the general area to aid our work" Issa said to Bilbo as they stopped to look at the drawing. "This is about where his camp was, this is where we came out of the mountain, and this is the giants' village. Nearby there is a castle that belongs to the giant leader that overlooks the village, and it lies about here" she said as she pointed out the various locations. "You can just see the top of it if you look over that rise" she indicated in the direction ahead of them. "How would you suggest we go about it then?"

Bilbo felt uneasy, not knowing the area, but gave it his best effort. "If we approach the village from the side closest to King Peter's camp we'll probably be spotted. I suggest we circle around the best we can from behind the castle and then work our way closer. It should offer some cover, and maybe we can find a way into the village proper. We really need to get to that flat-roofed building if possible."

"My thoughts exactly. There's no direct way underground from here to there, so overland it is. I'd give anything for a forest to travel in right now, but we'll make do with what we find." And this they proceeded to do, ducking behind any foliage or rock outcroppings that were available, until at last they pulled up to within a short throw's distance from the castle, crouched among some bushes behind a large boulder.

"Nothing between here and the castle for cover" Bilbo noticed as he peeked around an edge.

"That's not good" Issa commented. "In the name of Aslan there must be a way we can get around."

"Aslan?" a voice asked behind them. Startled, both spun and flattened against the rock only to see that the voice came from a small brown dog.

"You said Aslan, right?" The dog wiggled in excitement. "You must mean Aslan the Great, there simply can't be another!" He almost danced in place. "I can't believe you know Aslan!"

"We don't know him personally, but we're here from Narnia" Issa said haltingly. She didn't know if this dog was a friend or foe, but he seemed genuinely happy to hear of the lion's name.

"All praise Aslan, and those whom he sends! I've been raised in the village since I was a pup, but I know where I really belong. Can you take me back with you?"

"I'd love to…um…" Issa started.

"Craig. My name is Craig." The reader will no doubt know what type of dog Craig was when I tell you he was a Scottish terrier, but neither Bilbo nor Issa knew much about dogs and only thought of them as small, large, or please-stop-stepping-on-my-foot huge.

"Wonderful to meet you Craig, my name is Bilbo and this is Issa" Bilbo quickly explained in an attempt to get Craig to be quieter. "Before we can go back to Narnia we have to get some information for King Peter, and we have to find a safe way to get to the building in the village with a flat roof and do it quietly."

"You mean the ones with the stones and the lights?" Craig asked, whispering. "I can get you there."

"How do you know about the building?" Issa asked.

"It's hard to miss. A tiny giant goes up there and reads out loud from a book and the lights flash. Doesn't happen anywhere else."

"But how can we get there?" Bilbo asked. "If we go around the castle someone will see us, and if we walk up from the Narnia side someone will spot us too."

"Oh, oh I know a way!" Craig yelped as he ran in a circle. "We can go under. There are caves all under this place. I go in there all the time when I chase rabbits! We can go in just a little bit away and come out in the middle of the village. I know the way."

"I do have a torch" Issa said as she looked at Bilbo. "What do you say?"

Bilbo took another look around the boulder. "I don't like it, but I don't see another way either. Okay Craig, lead the way."

"For Aslan!" Craig barked as he raced off toward the underground entrance, before returning with a "Come on, come on, no time to waste."

"You heard the dog," Bilbo sighed "no time to waste." Together they trooped toward the entrance and disappeared down into the caves.

Because this writer has already spent much time chronicling Bilbo's journey underground up to this point, the reader will be spared any detailed description of his travels to an area under the giants' village. However, true to his word Craig led them to an opening not far from the building of interest. While Craig waited below, Bilbo and Issa managed to dash undetected to one side of the building behind some large sacks of flour. It was here that the most astounding thing happened.

Up to this point Bilbo had not used his ring to become invisible. Now, when he had the most need of it, he decided on a wholly unexpected course.

"Issa, I am going to tell you something that I have told no other. While on my journey with Thorin and his band, I came across Gollum under the mountain."

"Yes, and you played your guessing game with him and escaped."

"I did, but not without some help. I discovered a ring that can turn me invisible."

"Oh, wonderful, then you can wear it and sneak right in to the building and learn everything. Perhaps I should have brought my cap that allows me to fly too" she teased him.

"No, I wouldn't joke about such a thing right now. Let me show you." Bilbo fished into his special pocket and produced the ring. "Now watch." He made a special show of putting it on his finger, and naturally he disappeared from sight.

"Bilbo!" Issa called.

"Shhhhh!" a voice implored. "I'm still here." Bilbo appeared again holding the removed ring.

"Such a ring!" Issa whispered. "You'll make quick work of it for sure."

"No" Bilbo said with finality. "No ring. I cannot risk this falling into anyone's hands. I trust you, and you shall keep it for me. If anything happens, use it to escape." He thrust the ring into Issa's hands. "I expect it back, though."

"But Bilbo…" Issa started, but she only spoke to air as Bilbo quickly clambered up the pile of sacks and entered the building through a window. Issa was left holding the ring tightly and wishing with all her might that Bilbo would be okay. She quickly snuck a peek through the window, just in time to see Bilbo exit the room, closing a heavy door behind him carefully.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Carefully, Bilbo closed the heavy door behind him as he quickly glanced around the room. No one was about, and he skirted around the edge looking for any sign of stairs. From the view through a window he could see that one door led to the outdoors, while another was some type of small storage room. The next door proved to be correct, as Bilbo spied the stairs down a short hallway. He listened carefully, and made a silent dash to the foot of the stairs before climbing; testing the steps to make sure they didn't squeak and betray his location. Fortunately, they had been made for giants and the weight of Bilbo was a trifle and they protested not at all.

As Bilbo climbed and neared the ceiling, he could see daylight from the opening to the roof. He heard a creaking sound, saw the front door begin to open, and thrust himself through and onto the roof. He was immediately grabbed by his collar and hoisted into the air.

"You're no giant, that's for sure" his capturer stated "and certainly not a dwarf."

Bilbo looked the person up and down; by all his experience this was an elf. "Would you believe a gnome?" he asked.

"I believe them no more than anyone else in this world. No, if I didn't know better I'd say you were a hobbit."

"And I would say you were an elf, but we know neither exists in this world." Bilbo, having been discovered, refused to play coy any longer. "But then again there's always a first time, isn't there?" Thanks to his elevated position he was able to look the elf in the eye.

"Well said, my fellow stranger in a strange land; Fell is the name."

"I am known as Bilbo, as little as it matters to you."

"Bilbo? I have heard that name, it was a hobbit that…that…oh my, you're _that_ hobbit! Oh, this is tremendous! You of all people will appreciate my work here. Here, let me make you more comfortable." While still holding Bilbo aloft, he reached down and grabbed a length of rope and tied Bilbo to a large stone. "Well, more comfortable for me anyway. You are the hobbit that was at the Battle of Five Armies, yes? The same that traveled with that band of dwarfs?"

"The same" Bilbo stated flatly. "But I do not know you. The few elves I met were honorable and helped to fight against the evil hordes that attacked."

"Oh, I was there and I fought. I lost friends and even some family. All for the sake of protected some non-elves from their own fate. And did you stay after the battle to help care for the wounded? Or did you help bury the dead? No, you rode off to go back to your comfortable home with your riches and never returned."

"It was never my battle" Bilbo said, incensed. "I tried to stop it. No one would listen. Even Thorin ignored me until it was too late."

"Thorin. Yes, it was too late for him. I realized much sooner the futility of war, being nothing more than a common soldier. The only way to avert war is to be so powerful that your enemies give up. And that gave me an idea; with the right type of weapon the elves could take over and run everything peacefully. And the key to that weapon was buried with its owner deep in the mountain" Fell's voice trailed off.

"Buried deep with its owner? The only person so buried is Thorin and…and…the Arkenstone!"

Fell smiled. "So it is. Or was, I should say. After the battle I hid until all the troops left; it was easy enough, I'm sure many thought I'd fallen in battle somewhere. I began the long process of searching the mountain for Thorin's body. I had to stay hidden from any dwarfs that wandered around down there, and I had to learn all the passages and rooms. Days turned into months, and months to years but I would not give up!"

"But it was just a stone" Bilbo tried to convince him.

"More than that, my dear Bilbo. The most powerful stone ever; you saw it, you know how it gathered so much light that it practically glowed in the dark. Well, it occurred to me that could be turned into a weapon one day when I came out of the caves and was almost blinded by the sun. With a little help from some magic it could be a most powerful weapon."

"The light that King Peter described" Bilbo surmised. "That was your weapon."

"Just so. But I didn't start out on the right foot. With the help of an old magic book I started experimenting with the Arkenstone. It was during one of my attempts that something went wrong and I was sent to this…place. Fate would have it that everything nearby was transported too, so with stone and book in hand I went to find some allies. Imagine my surprise when I found out elves are unknown here! However, I found some big stupid friends that could use a helping hand in expanding their territory; I think all the land will be sufficient." Fell laughed. "That's a good one."

"You're power mad" Bilbo sputtered.

"I'm not mad, I just like it a lot" Fell answered. "Now where was I? Oh yes, once I got here I started my experiments again. The trick is to use different stones to harness the full spectrum of light. You see, light is made up of different colors mixed together; you see the different ones in a rainbow. I needed to find the right arrangement of colored stones to boost the Arkenstone's output. I've just finished the method to control the aim of it and we'll be unstoppable when we get Narnia to attack us."

Bilbo looked around. Arranged in an oval around a center platform were a dozen large colored stones of various hues. They were all angled to face the center, while off to one side stood a stand that held a thick book that lay opened somewhere in the middle of the tome.

"As long as a cloud isn't covering the sun I've been able to work for much of the day" Fell explained as he watched the hobbit studying the setup. "But I get full power near noon, as you might imagine."

"Of course. And I imagine night time must be pretty boring" Bilbo added.

Fell laughed. "You understand, I see. We all have to sleep sometime, so what better time? Don't go anywhere, I'll give you a little demonstration after I go get the Arkenstone." He checked the ropes and disappeared down the stairs.

Bilbo sat, tied to the stone as he waited. He looked at the stones and watched the colors play in the light. A shadow crossed the roof, followed by a flapping of wings. A raven landed behind Bilbo. "If only I had your wings to fly away" he sighed out loud.

"It would be a good idea" the bird spoke. "King Peter will attack in a few minutes." As expertly as a lockpicker, the bird began to work the knots behind the stone where Bilbo was tied.

"Attack? He can't, it's a trap! Fell will use his weapon and destroy the Narnian forces. You have to get back and warn them before it's too late."

A horn sounded in the distance, and another horn sounded closer. "Too late," the bird said "it's started. My fault, I took too long finding you."

Fell bounded up onto the roof again. "This IS my lucky day" he chuckled as he looked out over the edge toward the flat land to the south. "My task of luring Narnia within range has been taken care of for me, and I have an audience that can truly appreciate my work. Observe!" he bragged as he held out the Arkenstone, which almost pulsed in the sunlight. "The key to everything, it holds the delicate balance of all the beams and directs it to my aiming device."

He gestured to a box of some sort on the edge of the roof, with an opening on the side Bilbo could see. "But what good is a weapon if you can't aim it? With this last part perfected, no army stands a chance against me." He carefully placed the Arkenstone in just the right position on the center platform while the raven continued to work Bilbo's knots. "After this I will find a way to make it portable and take my show on the road!"

"Behold, the giants go out to fight...oh wait, you can't see from down there. Take my word, it will be too bad there won't be much of an army to meet them." Satisfied with his work, he walked over to the book and started a series of incantations.

Bilbo stuggled against the ropes. "Not yet!" the bird whispered. "I'm almost done." He sat and watched as light beams of different colors started to play around the circle, while the intensity of light in the center grew. Bilbo felt his ropes loosen suddenly and fly across the roof to knock over the Arkenstone.

"No!" cried Fell as he stopped in mid sentence. Without the stone in the center, the ball of light energy grew quickly.

Bilbo felt himself picked up and hurried toward an edge. "Bilbo, it's me Issa. We have to get off the roof now!" a voice yelled out of the air as they ran out of roof. Bilbo sailed off the roof and almost hit the ground before a large explosion ripped through the air, hurtling stones and debris everywhere. He landed with a thud, along with blocks of building, wood and other things he didn't have time to inventory. Then darkness embraced him as if a door closed on a room with no windows.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Bilbo? Bilbo?!" Issa called frantically as she searched through the rubble that was strewn across the village. Most of the buildings had been knocked down, in whole or in part, from the blast. Of the building where they were on the roof, nothing was left standing. Although a little bruised, Issa had survived the explosion almost unscathed; whether the ring had provided protection she did not know, but she had removed it after.

She saw a glint of color and ran over to find an arm. She panicked, then saw that the arm was the length of a man's and wasn't clad in Bilbo's clothing. She continued to search fruitlessly, and didn't even notice when King Peter ran up.

"Issa!"

She looked up, only slightly relieved to see the leader. "Bilbo's here somewhere, we jumped off the building when it exploded." Peter was about to join the search when Craig the dog ran up.

"Sorry, the cave collapsed and I had to get out another way to run back here." He looked around, and bowed at the sight of what must be the High King of Narnia. "Your majesty."

"Rise, there is no time for formalities. Bilbo's around here, but we can't find him" Peter said, not worried about protocols and decorum at such a moment.

"Oh, oh, I can find him! Let me smell him out!" Craig spun around and started sniffing, running around, under and over stones and slabs. In a short time he barked. "Here! He's here!"

Peter and Issa dashed to the spot, but saw no sign of Bilbo. "No, he's here, I can smell him" Craig assured them.

"Help me lift" Peter said, and together with Issa they managed to move a few stones to uncover the body of Bilbo. Issa turned him over, and while no obvious wounds showed, the trickle of blood from his mouth and nose was a bad sign. He moaned softly.

"Bilbo?" Issa asked gently. Bilbo opened his eyes and focused on his rescuers.

"Issa. Craig. Your majesty. We stopped him, he was...going to burn down your army."

"You're all heroes of Narnia. Now I command you to rest while we get help" Peter said as he bent over the hobbit.

"It won't help" he weezed. "I'm afraid I've taken the worst of it. I can't even feel my legs or arms."

"Bilbo" Issa whispered. She bent close to him after Peter stood up and took the ring and snuck it in his vest pocket. "Your secret is safe, no one else knows about the ring."

"You were supposed to use it to escape" he muttered.

"I did. I just brought you with me." Memories of her father's death from a slide in the mines were freshly laid open again. But she made up her mind and withdrew her vial.

Bilbo gave a weak "No" at the sight.

"I'm sorry my friend" she said as she jabbed her finger into his eye. He opened his mouth to yell in pain and she dumped the contents down into his throat. Bilbo opened his eyes wide and immediately passed out.

 _Fireworks that would have made Gandalf proud were going off in Bilbo's head as his body felt like it was burning up. After a short time the sensation faded, as did the fireworks, until all was black again._

 _"You must go back to your home" a deep voice spoke._

 _"But how? I don't know how I got here in the first place" Bilbo replied. "Besides, I think I could get to like Narnia. There has to be room for one hobbit, even if it is in a grave somewhere."_

 _"It's not a question of room for you or a grave, and Narnia would do well to have more of your spirit. No, you have to go back because there is work left to be done in your world. You must raise your nephew; he has a destiny that must be fulfilled and you shall set him upon that path. He will be the most famous of all Baggins, and many shall owe him their lives."_

 _"At least I won't live alone any longer; I've come to appreciate a bit of company."_

 _"Bilbo Baggins, you shall not live alone for the rest of your existence, which I assure you will be a very long time indeed."_

Bilbo awoke from his dream to find himself lying on the ground amid rubble. That much was the same as before. And Issa, Peter and Craig were nearby like before too. What was different was that he felt healthy again...and hungry. "Have you got any food with you?" he asked.

"Oh Bilbo!' Issa laughed, tears of relief pouring down her face. Peter laughed too, and even Craig yipped.

...

After a fitting meal back at the Narnian camp, Bilbo settled back against a tree. "So I've caught you up on what we did up to me being tied up on the roof, but after that things get a little blurry. I can confirm that the person helping the giants was an elf from my world, although one I've never met before. I'm afraid something turned his mind so that he had delusions of ruling with this light weapon. He was going to try and lure your army close to the giant village so he could destroy you. Then a raven came and told me you were going to attack."

"That would be Herald. I sent him to search you out to give you the news. My counsel pointed out it would be best to attack before the enemy was ready, since we knew they were working on some new weapon. I only decided after you had already left, and I guess Herald didn't see you until you were out on the roof" Peter offered.

"Up to that point we were either in the caves or in the building; he couldn't have seen us" Issa explained.

"The next part happened really fast. Fell went and got the Arkenstone he brought from my world, and used it to start up the weapon when the horns sounded. Then Issa showed up and knocked over the stone and we jumped off the building before it exploded."

"It was like a bomb going off; we could feel the blast even on the field" Peter noted. They looked at him questionably after using the word. "Oh. A bomb is a thing they have from my world that makes a big explosion."

"I'll say" Issa observed. "I managed to land clear without much trouble, but it looks like the wall just about fell on top of Bilbo. We couldn't find you until Craig sniffed you out."

Craig wiggled his tail. "Friends smell good, they're easy to find."

"And you know you were in pretty bad shape. So I gave you my vial and it fixed you up; we knew you'd be fine when you asked for food."

"Stopping wars is hungry work" Bilbo admitted. "I think the stuff in that vial made my body work harder to heal itself too." Bilbo's third slice of sweet bread had helped restore some of his strength, no doubt.

"I think he eats more than me" Stately joked. The bear had been part of the Narnian army during the attack, but now had rejoined the heroes. "Good thing all the giants ran off after the explosion. They really are rather superstitious. I bet they don't cause any trouble for a long time to come."

"Which means I can head back" Peter laughed. "I can't wait to introduce you to my brother and sisters back at Cair Paravel; I don't think they'll believe your appetite."

"I'm not going with you, sadly" Bilbo confessed.

"Certainly you must! We are in your debt, and you must receive proper honor in the court."

"I can't...I've been told I have to go home. Please understand, Narnia is wonderful and I'd love to stay and explore but it's not to be."

"Who would say such a thing?" Peter asked, very disappointed indeed.

"I told him, Peter" a deep voice spoke behind them. They turned as one, and standing among the trees was a huge, magnificent lion.

"Aslan" Peter said and he stood and walked over to the beast.

"Aslan?" Bilbo and Issa said together as they stood.

"Aslan!" Craig yipped as he ran in circles. "Aslan, Aslan, Aslan be praised!"

"Must he go?" Peter asked.

"He must, for there are others that will depend upon him."

"Well, he's not going without something to remember us by" Peter said as he ran into his tent.

"As if I'd forget _this_ " Bilbo murmured, still in awe of the lion.

Peter returned with rolled paper in his hand. "Issa said you were fond of maps, so I give you my own copy of a Narnia map. If you can't explore it in person, explore it in spirit." He handed the map to Bilbo, who bowed sincerely. "With all the gratitude we could possibly ever extend" Peter finished, bowing to Bilbo in turn. Bilbo tried to say something but choked on the words as he put the map inside his coat pocket.

"I don't have any maps or anything" Craig whined "but lean close and I'll give you something." Bilbo leaned down and Craig reached up and licked his face. Bilbo stood up and wiped his cheek, but smiled in a good-natured way.

"We bears are known for our hugs" Stately said as he started toward Bilbo. Bilbo tried to jump out of the way, but Stately grabbed him too quickly. The hug was surprisingly gentle, however. "You're too fragile for me to give you a real hug."

Bilbo broke free of the hug, only to see that Issa was talking with Aslan quietly. She didn't look happy, but the lion's eyes showed that he was sympathetic. After the lion spoke a bit, Issa brightened somewhat and they returned. Issa walked up to Bilbo and gave him a long hug that made Stately's pale in comparison for strength. Without speaking she released and walked back to Peter and the rest of the group.

"It's time, Bilbo" Aslan stated simply.

Bilbo plodded over to the lion, and together they walked slowly away.

"You do understand, don't you" Aslan said, more as a statement than a question.

"Yes, but I don't have to like it much" Bilbo added.

"No, that is true enough, but true heroes know when the doing of a thing is better than doing what they want. What one thing would you have before you leave?" Aslan asked.

Bilbo thought for some time of all that happened. "For Issa's vial to be refilled. She used it on me instead of saving it for herself."

"It was her choice, but that is within my power to restore. It is done."

Bilbo blinked, and in front of the two stood a door out in the middle of the trees. It was a proper hobbit door, round with a knob in the center. Bilbo touched the knob, then turned to look one more time upon Narnia. The group was some distance away, watching. He waved and they waved back. "Thank you for all that you've done, Bilbo."

"Thank you, Aslan. Please tell Issa she's the best ever. I never got around to it."

Bilbo opened the door and saw that it led into an actual room only visible through the doorway. As he passed through he heard Aslan say "You can tell her yourself next time you see her" just as the door closed. Bilbo opened the door again to ask what he meant. but when he did he looked upon his front porch and the Shire beyond. Turning around, he checked the interior of his own house. In the front room his tea sat, still hot with a wisp of steam rising from it, and his pipe burning. He ran outside and saw Ronto Brandybuck passing.

"Looking for someone?" Ronto asked.

"Your cousin Sandy" Bilbo blurted out. "I thought...er...I heard her out here."

"Not likely, Bilbo. She's been gone to Bree the last two days visiting. I'll let her know you want to see her when she returns. Good day!" he said as he continued on down the path.

Bilbo returned to his front room and sat down. It was as if Sandy had never been here and he hadn't been gone. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a rolled up parchment. Unrolling it, he found the map of Narnia. Much of it he didn't know at all, but Peter had mentioned Cair Paravel, and there were other spots that had been on Issa's map of the northern country too.

Bilbo's immediate thought was to display the map proudly on a wall in his home, but then thought better of it; on the odd chance that a visitor might start asking too many questions he felt it best to keep the map to himself.

There was also a smaller rolled up map that Bilbo knew wasn't there when Peter handed the Narnia map to him. He unrolled it, and studied the design. It was very simply drawn, with only the odd title 'Undying Lands' written in fancy script across the top. Precisely one spot was marked on the map, and it was indicated with an 'X'. Under the mark was written 'Bilbo and Issa's house'. An unnamed sea spread out to the east, and a lion and a lamb were drawn together at each corner.

"How peculiar," thought Bilbo "I wonder where that came from. As if lands _could_ actually die elsewhere." He rolled up both maps and put them away for safe keeping, opening a cupboard to stash them far in the back, and closed the door afterward.

The End

* * *

 **A/N: Since my whole adventure of writing and posting stories on this site began with a collaboration with a friend, I felt that a second such effort would commemorate the 100th story quite nicely. My friend came up with an idea, we rolled some story cubes for seeding objects, and I sat down to write. Of course I put us in the story, but as before with minor characters. I didn't use his werewolf idea because I really don't know enough about them, but his mad elf managed to make it in. We hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Walt and Craig**


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